As part of their studies in our Horticulture programs our students prepare fact sheets called “Garden Clippings”, which give you basic maintenance information for various plants, as well as the history behind some of our leafy friends.
Questions? Our library will grow so please check back from time to time. If you have questions please feel free to contact the Greenhouse and we will be happy to share information with you.
Cineraria
Cinerarias are short-stemmed, woolly herbaceous perennials that are treated as annuals. They have large, down-covered, heart-shaped leaves with a rich green color on the upper side and purple underneath.
Coleus
Coleus, also known as Solenostemon, is an herbaceous perennial native to the tropical areas of Africa, Asia, Australia, the East Indies and the Philippines. Although it is a perennial, most gardeners in the US and Canada treat it as an annual based on the zone changes it faces in North America.
Comfort Maple, The
Standing majestically at nearly 100 feet with a trunk circumference of almost 20 feet, the Comfort Maple is truly a symbol of Canadian strength and tradition, bringing thousands of people to see it from all over the country.
Companion Planting
Companion planting is growing two or more plant species together so they can benefit from each other. This can be used on any scale and is sometimes called polyculture. Companion planting balance s an ecosystem, allowing nature to do its job.
Composting – How to Improve
Left alone, your kitchen scraps and yard waste will slowly decompose. With a little bit of effort, however, you can speed up the process.
Creating a Basic Outdoor Topiary
Topiary is the art of training and maintaining plants to grow in desired shapes and forms. Once reserved for weddings, banquets and other elaborate events, this craft is now widely used throughout modern landscapes.
Cyclamen
Cyclamen persicum is known as the common cyclamen or the florist’s cyclamen. This is a beautiful plant with swept-back flowers rising above mounding foliage. The flowers come in a variety of colours including bright reds, purples, pinks, white and pastel shades of the same colours.
Dahlia
The dahlia, a native of Mexico, comes in two types — the smaller, annual dahlia and the larger, tuberous, tender perennial. Although annual blossoms are smaller, they come in many shades — all but blue — and have a variety of single, semi - double, double and coll arette flower forms.
Dandelion
The dandelion is a hardy, tap-rooted herbaceous perennial that can grow to be 12 inches tall. It has deep, irregular, lobe-shaped, green leaves that are tooth-like with a smooth or softly hairy leaf surface.
Daylily
The name “daylily,” or Hemerocallis, comes from the Greek words hemera, meaning “day,” and kallos, meaning “beauty.” The name refers to the blooms’ lasting only one day. The daylily is a popular perennial due to its adaptability, durability, versatility and long life span.
